The history of feminism in the UK dates to the very
beginnings of feminism movement itself. Throughout this post, we are going to
remember how it started, the most significant events and some powerful activist
such as Mary Wollstonecraft or Emmeline
Pankhurst.
The earliest feminist
in Britain is attributed to Mary Wollstonecraft, known as the grandmother of
British feminism, who wrote The Vindication of the Rights of Woman in
1792. In the XVIIIth century, it was considered as a very unusual
and rescindable act.
Mary Wollstonecraft is seen
as one of the most significant figures of the feminist philosophy. She,
somehow, settled the bases for the years to come. Her daughter was
Frankenstein’s author Mary Shelly.
In the XIXth and
the early XXth century, the most important issue was, for sure,
conquering the right to vote (women’s suffrage), meaning freedom and
independence. As I am quite sure you all know about it, we are going to briefly
focus on the most significant aspects:
Mary Smith: she was the first woman to ask for her right
to vote in 1832. The result was totally reverse: the number of people who were
able to vote increased but only if they were males.
John Stuart Mill y Harriet Taylor
Mill: John Stuart Mill was the first member of the parliament to call for
women’s suffrage in 1866. His demand was rejected. In 1869, he and his wife,
Harriet Taylor Mill, published “The subjection of women’’.
Lydia Becker: scientist and activist pro
women rights. In 1867 she founded the committee for women’s suffrage in
Manchester and in 1870 she founded and started publishing the “Women’s suffrage
journal’’.
The suffragettes: In the XIXth century women had no place in politics.
They could not stand as candidates for the Parliament and they were not allowed
to vote. As a result of the industrial revolution many women
were in full-time employment, which meant they had the opportunity to meet in
organised groups to discuss political and social issues.
We have to make a distinction between
Suffragist and Suffragettes: even though both of them pursued a
step closer towards gender equality by gaining the feminine vote (Vote for women), they differed on their
methods. Suffragists were more moderated; they formed the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies,
under the leadership of Millicent Fawcett. On the other hand, Suffragettes
formed the Women´s Social and
Political Union (WSPU) leaded
by Emmeline Pankhurst.
They were more militant and violent in their
methods of campaign, with tactics such as law-breaking, violence and hunger
strikes.
The
Suffragettes are better known thanks to their revolutionary actions. Even there
is a film about them which most of you may have already seen
Emmeline Pankhurst: Mrs
Pankhurst believed it would take an active organisation, with young working
class women, to draw attention to the cause. She strongly fought for
universal feminine suffrage. She was arrested several times. Finally she saw
her dream fulfilled in 1928. Then, she could rest in peace: she died the 14th
of June 1928.
But before achieving the universal feminine suffrage,
in 1918 women over 30 years old had the right to vote and, finally, in 1928, thanks to the “equal franchise
act’’ they were in equal right to vote
as men.
The history of women is a history of conquer and fight
for their rights
Sofía Gómez Gutiérrez 
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